Sylvia Poggiolihttp://wmot.org
enIn A Land Of Few Christians, Pope Will Reach Out To Muslims In Turkeyhttp://wmot.org/post/land-few-christians-pope-will-reach-out-muslims-turkey
Pope Francis is heading to Turkey for what could be one of the most challenging trips of his young papacy.<p>The three-day visit, which begins Friday, will be a mix of the religious and political, with the pope addressing topics ranging from Christian unity to the worsening plight of Christians in the Muslim-dominated Middle East.<p>While the Catholic and Orthodox churches have been divided since the "Great Schism" nearly a millennium ago, Francis will attend Sunday's celebration of St.Thu, 27 Nov 2014 21:23:00 +0000Sylvia Poggioli46077 at http://wmot.orgIn A Land Of Few Christians, Pope Will Reach Out To Muslims In TurkeyFor Italy's Gay Rights Advocates, It's 1 Step Forward, 2 Steps Backhttp://wmot.org/post/italys-gay-rights-advocates-its-1-step-forward-2-steps-back
Ancient Rome may have been open to all sorts of sexual mores, but modern Italy is less so. The country lags far behind its European Union partners in guaranteeing equal rights for homosexuals.<p>Gay couples have no legal recognition or adoption rights in Italy, and a bill presented last year outlawing discrimination on the grounds of homophobia has been bogged down in parliament by right-wing opposition.<p>The legislation now faces opposition from a new conservative Catholic movement.Mon, 13 Oct 2014 20:39:00 +0000Sylvia Poggioli44430 at http://wmot.orgFor Italy's Gay Rights Advocates, It's 1 Step Forward, 2 Steps BackIn 'Season Of Mercy,' Will Vatican Rethink Communion For Divorcees?http://wmot.org/post/season-mercy-will-vatican-rethink-communion-divorcees
Some 200 bishops from around the world are gathered at the Vatican for a two-week assembly to discuss issues related to the family, including artificial contraception, premarital sex and ministering gay unions.<p>But one of the most controversial is a proposal to allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Holy Communion — taboo in church doctrine for 2,000 years.<p>In February, Pope Francis tapped one of his favorite theologians, German Cardinal Walter Kasper, to address a meeting of all the cardinals.<p>Kasper argued that the church must show more mercy to people whose first marriages Wed, 08 Oct 2014 22:13:00 +0000Sylvia Poggioli44269 at http://wmot.orgIn 'Season Of Mercy,' Will Vatican Rethink Communion For Divorcees?Vatican Synod Tests The Pope's Vision Of A More Merciful Churchhttp://wmot.org/post/vatican-synod-tests-popes-vision-more-merciful-church
Pope Francis has summoned bishops from all over the world to Rome to discuss issues concerning families – including hot-button issues like artificial contraception and gay civil unions.<p>The meeting, called a synod, opened on Sunday and is seen as a test of Francis' vision of a more merciful Church.<p>Not since the landmark Second Vatican Council half a century ago has a church meeting raised so much hope among progressive Catholics — and so much apprehension among conservatives.<p>As with every big Vatican meeting, Catholic groups from all over the world have descended on Rome in the hopes oSun, 05 Oct 2014 14:36:00 +0000Sylvia Poggioli44135 at http://wmot.orgVatican Synod Tests The Pope's Vision Of A More Merciful ChurchItaly Undertakes Lonely, Expensive Mission To Aid Migrants At Seahttp://wmot.org/post/italy-undertakes-lonely-expensive-mission-aid-migrants-sea
On the outskirts of Rome, far from the coast, there's a top-security compound where Italy is trying to tackle one of Europe's major crises: the rising flows of unauthorized migrants making perilous journeys from North Africa across the Mediterranean.<p>In all of 2011, the year of the Arab uprisings, slightly more than 60,000 migrants arrived by sea in Italy.<p>By mid-August this year, the number surpassed 100,000.<p><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/05/12/311888461/italy-searches-for-african-migrants-after-sinking-in-mediterranean">Reports of migrant boats in distress</a> have Sun, 24 Aug 2014 08:56:00 +0000Sylvia Poggioli42646 at http://wmot.orgItaly Undertakes Lonely, Expensive Mission To Aid Migrants At Sea